Connecticut fan misses out on $100K after forgetting to hit save

By Mike Singer | CBSSports.com

April 8, 2014 10:45 AM ET

This is probably the moment it sunk in for one unlucky UConn fan. (USATSI)

Connecticut's stunning 60-54 victory over Kentucky on Monday night was painfully bittersweet for one Huskies fan, who would've won $100,000 had he properly saved his bracket through Warren Buffett's Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge.

Corey Johnson, 28 and a resident of Connecticut, had UConn beating Kentucky in the National Championship game, along with a strong combination of strangely prophetic picks. Aside from having (not having) UConn as his champion, Johnson correctly picked seven of eight elite eight teams. Seriously, check out Corey's very-ironically-named "Champion" bracket. Unfortunately, none of that matters now.

“I clicked UConn to win, put in the final score and clicked save. I guess it didn't save,” he told Deadspin in a caveat ultimately worth $100,000.

“I'm thinking to myself, ‘This is awesome. This is going to be the biggest thing. I can win $100,000,”' he told USAToday. “And then I look and there's no winner. I picked a winner. I picked UConn to beat Kentucky and I submitted it.”

Johnson tried reaching out to Yahoo, who hosted Buffett's challenge, but they weren't having it.

“I'm going to reach out to Warren Buffett himself and tell him to give me $100,000 because I already have this one in the bag,” he said.

What did UConn's gut-punch victory feel like for Johnson?

“It was like hitting the winning shot, then being told the clock had already expired,” he said. “Maybe someone who needs it more than I do is going to win because I won't,” he added.

Johnson's bracket was in fourth place heading into Monday's title game, comfortably ahead of 16 others vying for $100,000, but his mistake afforded someone else the prize money.

Brutal. Come on, Warren, you can afford it, and it's a lot less painful than doling out that billion.